Bachelor of Arts in Geography

Major in Geography

A Bachelor of Arts degree in geography provides the necessary background for careers in a number of fields in government, education, and private business. The geographic tools of geographic information systems (GIS), cartography, air-photo interpretation, remote sensing, and spatial analysis are skills increasingly in demand. An undergraduate degree in geography also provides the necessary background for graduate study in geography and urban and regional planning. For further information please contact a departmental advisor.

Requirements for the major

1. Complete a minimum of 122 credit hours with the proper distribution of courses for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
2. As a part of the 122 credit hours, complete the departmental requirements for a major in geography (minimum of 31 credit hours). The core courses are intended to provide a foundation for more specialized upper-division course, and thus should be taken at the beginning of the major program. Geography 309 is normally offered every fall semester and G311 every spring. The capstone experience is an independent project for senior-level students, taken alone or concurrent with another course.

Core courses (12 cr)

• G107 Physical Systems of the Environment (3 cr.)
• G110 Introduction to Human Geography (3 cr.)
• G309 Frontiers in Geographic Thought (3 cr.)
• G311 Introduction to Research Methods in Geography (3 cr.)

One Regional Geography course ( 3 cr)

• G321 Geography of Europe (3 cr.)
• G322 Geography of Russia and Adjacent Lands (3 cr.)
• G323 Geography of Latin America (3 cr.)
• G324 Geography of the Caribbean (3 cr.)
• G326 Geography of North America (3 cr.)
• G327 Geography of Indiana (3 cr.)
• G328 Rural Landscapes of North America (3 cr.)
• G330 North American House Types (3 cr.)
• G390 Topics: Variable Regional Focus (3 cr.)
• G421 Environments of Tropical Lands (3 cr.)

Two Geographic Techniques courses (6 cr.)

• G300 The World of Maps (3 cr.)
• G336 Introduction to Remote Sensing (3 cr.)
• G337 Cartography and Graphics (3 cr.)
• G338 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3 cr.)
• G436 Advanced Remote Sensing (3 cr.)
• G438 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (3 cr.)
• G439 Seminar in Geographic Information Science (3 cr.)
• G465 Field Methods in Physical Geography (6 cr.)
• G488 Applied Spatial Statistics (3 cr.)

A total of three course in environmental and human Geography, to include at least one course from each group:
Environmental Geography ( 3 or 6 cr):

• G303 Weather and Climate (3 cr.)
• G305 Environmental Change (3 cr.)
• G307 Biogeography (3 cr.)
• G310 Human Impact on Environment (3 cr.)
• G315 Environmental Conservation (3 cr.)
• G390 Topics: Environmental Focus (3 cr.)
• G404 Soils Geography (3 cr.)
• G446 Cultural Biogeography
• G475 Climate Change

Human Geography (3 or 6 cr):

• G314 Urban Geography (3 cr.)
• G331 Economic Geography (3 cr.)
• G355 Political Geography (3 cr.)
• G390 Topics: Human Geography Focus
• G410 Medical Geography (3 cr.)

Capstone Courses (1 or 3 cr):

• G491 Capstone Experience in Geography (1 cr.) or
• G439 Seminar in Geographic Information Science (3 cr.)